"President Tinubu unveils ambitious plans to tackle Nigeria\u2019s food crisis"

" President Tinubu unveils ambitious plans to tackle Nigeria\u2019s food crisis \r\n Nigeria\u2019s President Bola Tinubu revealed he has there are immediate, medium- and long-term interventions and solutions to fix Nigeria\u2019s food crisis. \u00a0 \r\n\r\n Tinubu plans to deploy savings from the fuel subsidy removal into the Agricultural sector focusing on revamping the agricultural sector and also growing agriculture\u2019s contribution to 70 per cent in the long term. \u00a0 \r\n\r\n This was\u00a0 disclosed by \u00a0Mr Dele Alake, Presidential Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, \u00a0 \r\n Rising food costs \u00a0 \r\n Mr Dele Alake, said, Tinubu is a hands-on- leader who follows developments across the country every day, adding: \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cMr President is not unmindful of the rising cost of food and how it affects the citizens. While availability is not a problem, affordability has been a major issue for many Nigerians in all parts of the country. \u00a0 \r\n \t \u201cThis has led to a significant drop in demand thereby undermining the viability of the entire agriculture and food value chain.\u201d \u00a0 \r\n \r\n State of emergency \u00a0 \r\n He noted that President Tinubu announced the declaration of a state of emergency on food security and other measures with long and medium terms solutions \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cAs with most emergencies, there are immediate, medium- and long-term interventions and solutions.\u201d \r\n \r\n Immediate plans \u00a0 \r\n Alake noted that a\u00a0 Memorandum of Partnership between the government and agricultural stakeholders had been\u202f drafted, containing decisions taken and proposed actions. \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cIn the immediate term, we intend to deploy some savings from the fuel subsidy removal into the Agricultural sector focusing on revamping the agricultural sector.\u201d \u00a0 \r\n \t \u201cWe will immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal. \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \r\n \t \u201cThere must be an urgent synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is produced all-year round.\u201d \u00a0 \r\n \r\n He added the administration will also create and support a National Commodity Board that will review and continuously assess food prices as well as maintain a strategic food reserve that will be used as a price stabilisation mechanism for critical grains and other food items. \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cThrough this board, the government will moderate spikes and dips in food prices.\u201d \u00a0 \r\n \r\n Medium and Long term \u00a0 \r\n In the medium to Long term, the\u00a0 President stressed that the measures would bring about positive outcomes through a massive boost in employment and job creation, citing increased jobs in the sector. \u00a0 \r\n\r\n Alake noted that this would be in line with his pledge to create jobs, as the initiative is expected to achieve between five to 10 million more jobs created within the value chain. \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cIndeed, agriculture already accounts for about 35.21% of employment in Nigeria (as at 2021), the target is to double this percentage to about 70% in the long term.\u201d\u00a0 \r\n \r\n The jobs he said would come through working with the current 500,000 hectares of arable land and the several hundreds of thousands more farmlands to be developed in the medium term. \u00a0 \r\n\r\n The president, therefore, called on all Nigerians to partner with the government to ensure the success of the strategic intervention and assured Nigerians that the administration would not relent in its efforts \u201cuntil all strategic interventions are deployed efficiently and effectively and until every household is positively impacted\u201d \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cThis administration is working assiduously to ensure that Nigerians do not struggle with their essential needs,\u201d. \u00a0 \r\n \r\n Stakeholders \u00a0 \r\n The stakeholders include National Commodity Exchange, Seed Companies, National Seed Council and Research institutes and NIRSAL Microfinance Bank. \u00a0 \r\n\r\n Others are, Food Processing\/ Agric Processing associations, private sector holders and Prime Anchors, smallholder farmers, crop associations and fertilizer producers, blenders and suppliers associations, he added: \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cIn furtherance of this, the federal government would engage security architecture to protect the farms and the farmers so that farmers can return to the farmlands without fear of attacks. \u00a0 \r\n \t \u201cThe Central Bank will continue to play a major role in funding the agricultural value chain. \r\n \r\n \r\n \t \u201cThere are currently 500,000 hectares of already mapped land that will be used to increase the availability of arable land for farming which will immediately impact food output.\u201d \u00a0 \r\n \r\n FG will also collaborate with mechanization companies to clear more forests and make them available for farming \u00a0 \r\n\r\n Alake also noted that there are currently 11 river basins that will ensure the planting of crops during the dry season with irrigation schemes that will guarantee continuous farming production all year round, to stem the seasonal glut and scarcity that we usually experience. \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \t \u201cWe will deploy concessionary capital\/funding to the sector, especially towards fertilizer, processing, mechanization, seeds, chemicals, equipment, feed, labour, etc. \u00a0 \r\n \t \u201cThe concessionary funds will ensure food is always available and affordable thereby having a direct impact on Nigeria\u2019s Human Capital Index (HCI). \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \r\n \t \u201cThis administration is focused on ensuring the HCI numbers, which currently rank as the 3rd lowest in the world, are improved for increased productivity.\u201d \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \u00a0 \r\n \r\n \r\n "

"President Tinubu unveils ambitious plans to tackle Nigeria\u2019s food crisis"

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